sheets-sheet



flan. 3o, 1923; y 1,443,885

E. H. OWEN, INTERNAL CoMBusTloN ENGINE.

4 FILED MAY 13, 1922. 2 SHEETS-SHEET- l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Jan. 30, 1923. E. H. OWEN.

INTERNAL CoMBusT|oN ENGINE.

F| LED MAY I3, 1922 [Www/02t- MQ m4 Q m, m,

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Patent-2d dan. fill, i923.

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INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENG-INE.

Application led May 13, 1922.

To @El /iviom t 72mg/ concer/a:

lle it known that l, EVELYN HUGH OWEN, a subject et the King' oi-l Great Britain, residing :it G Comerapgh Road.j London, in the 5 county ci liliddlesex, `lnngland, have invented a new and useful lfnternal-Coinbustion llngine (tor which. il have tiled apiLilication in (treat Britain, No. 19%, on Jan. lil, 192i.) oli which the following); is a speciication.

This invention relates to a working process i and means for the construction and oiieration of an internal combustion engine, the objetaA beine' particularly to aiiord augmented pressure so that sustained or increased power-output may be produced whenever load-increase requires it, and to render the working effort or torque more flexible and controllable than heretofore. For such purpose it is necessary to obtain. at will suitably augmented mean effective cylinder pressure. Consequently the power inipul. or combustii'in-eicpansion pressures require to be capable ot'being varied .in magg* nitride, which eil'ect necessitates adequate variation ol? the admission volumes and regulation or control of the compression pressure. .flccordii ly the nature of Jche improved workin )recess will irst be described.

The 'ent invention includes practical cl1ai.'act..stics which ll termj lirstly, conipoiind or dual induction. alloidingij augmented or 'variable aiilmission oit combustible and/or air thor'eterj and, secondly, pressure regulation. ituri'lishinp; compression or cornn capacity varied or variable in pron to such variable admission. y ioiiiwstrolre cycle of operationsfmay be worked at will so :is to permit the ollowingl conditions: simple induction, i. e., by the adriiission strokes oi" the power piston :,ilfnie. cr coin 'iound induction. i. c.. pump4 te' i ichle i' i ed to the charge the i n cylinder, the comcapacit',y which is adjusted. li'ilhen tlm cvncle is h g iorlred with pumpn n .and adjustable compression on--cyiinilor `pilton may drew in ions or :in air charge, a dey-ico bv ineens ci which 'this feature may be elibei described hereinafter.

Vin :i iro-stroke cycle the working` process likewise permits operation oli the ordinary inductie!i tor cylinder charging, the cycle being p' "forme/.l when required either with the ad .on oivariable pu rlp-feed and ad- Serial N0. 560,855.

instable compression-clearance or entirely, i. e., constantly, by the said pump=feed and coniprcssion-adjustment.

lt is thus possible to obtain the equivalent effect et increasing` notv only the power-cylluder diameter but also the travel of its pliston at admission to any practicable extent coincident with which the piston clearance for the compression is proportionately increased. |lhe process is applicable to, e. g., high or slow speed, single or double acting reciprocating piston engines, and opposed,or double piston, action. In the latter oase one or' each pistons in each power cylinder may 'function as a compression pressure regulator in the manner described hereinafter with reference to Figure 4l.

.er preliminary brief description of the accom.panyinnv tig'ures, which are purely dia gfrainmatic, is as :Follows: Fig. l represents the path described by the crankpin oi a ':rl-:i.n piston on a four and a two' stroke cycle., together with various positions assumed by a puinpincr piston, when the latter is caused to operate during such cycles. Fig. G an end-elevation View of a single acting iEi'nir-strolre cycle engine having movable secondary pistons in the heads ot each ot its ur working .cylinders and an adjacent sinacting auxiliary feed-pump. Fig. 3 is an cnil-clevation View ot a single acting` twostrolro cycle encino having; similar secondary pistons in the heads ot each its two working cyliiulcrs and an auxiliary double acting iced-pump. Fig. el. is an end-elevation View olf an engine having in each working' cylinder two opposed pistons7 one of which is adjustable in stroke,4 adjacent to the workr` ingcylinders beingv the aforesaid auxiliary pump. in all of these views the pump is fisher-fn variable in travel :troni no motion to foveinent oi the secondary seien-space varyingA piston. shown in l "nd 3, is controlled by that of the ,e likewise shown in those views, icing; point olf the stroke ot the r pisoon illustrated in Fig. l also being vs Jed by ditlerent inclinations of the guide i y circle 2-3 on its conipression stroke.

tions in which the said pump may conveniently be placed.

The existing tour-stroke cycle of operations is represented approximately by the diagram, Fig. l. At its initial-admission outstroke the crankpin passes through the semi-circle A -l At or about B tbe cornpression stroke is performed with the crankpin pausing through the arc aI" --C. The firing and exhaust strokes occur while the crank describes the arcs D-E and E-F respecti vely.

The operation of the process in its relation to the foregoing Jfour-stroke system of operations vis shown with reference to the same diagram (Fig. 1). As befolc. on the admission stroke the crankpin describes the semi-circle 3i-B. but at. or about the point 1 a piston reciprocated within a pump cylinder adjacent to the power cylinders commences to draw in an additional charge of combustible mixture and/or air. At or about the point 2 the admission stroke ot the pump ceases. The return stroke ot the pump piston 'expels the additional chargevolume from its own cylinder. discharging it into the power cylinder While the crankpin describes approximately the qua\rtcrt or about tbejpoint 3,. all external communication with the power cylinder being cut cti, compression of the combined volumes commences and continues until the crank reaches to about the point 4, when ignition (or fuciinjection. combustion and expansion occur between -'E., and exhaust between E-F To compensate for the variable chargevolumes compressed, as described, between the points 3 4. the compression-combustion space in each power. or Working. cylinder is enlarged or reduced automatically and progressively in proportion to such chargevolumes. y

The operation of the process in its relation to the two-stroke cycle is also shown diagrammatically with reference to Fig. 1. At or about the point on the crank circle DEF, a firing stroke .having begun in the first power cylinder, at about 7 a compression stroke has commenced in' the second power cylinder. While the first power piston passes between 5-6, the aforesaid pumppiston, having double action inducing a gaseous charge (or air therefor) at each doWnsti-oke and an air charge at each upstroke. makes an upstroke discharging a combustion volume (already induced by its previous down-stroke) into the second powci` cylinder while the piston therein passes bctween 7 8. Between 6-7 the first power piston opens and closes its exhaust port during which period the pump pistion makes its return downstroke dlscharging scavengo air (already induced by its previous upstroke-into the-first power cylinder. The

next succeeding upstrokc of the pump discharges a combustion volume (already induced by its previous downstroke) into the first power cylinder while the piston therein passes between 7-S. All external communication with the power cylinder beinglr cut oil" at or about the pointA 8 compression by thc power piston of the combined charges continues until the inner dead centre is reached. fuel-injection and/or combustion and cxpansion occurring while thc crankpin dcscribes approximately the arc D--E. Ylith reference to the foregoing description it if.' to be understood that the pump piston is single-.acting to feed four single-acting or two double-acting four-stroke power cylinders, and is double-acting to feed two singleacting two-stroke power cylinders. lt is further to be understood that the induction stroke of the pump piston` is timed or set to suit the relative position of the power piston and valve setting respectively.

The manner whereby the objects mentioned are attained is illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which Figure 2 is a vertical end elevation of a four-stroke four-cylinder engine; Fig. 3. a similar view of a two-stroke two-cylinder engine; Fig. 4, a similar view of an engine showing double-piston action; Figs. 5, (3. and 7 being views of compression-clcarancc adjustment mechanism. -l*`ig. 8 is a plan view of the Fig. 2. Similar numerals refer. to similar parts throu fhout thc views.

The application of t is invention will now be described by way ot' example with reference to a single-acting, four-stroke, four cylinder reciprocating engine. Referring to Fig. 2, the mechanism comprises essentially a piston 1 having a stroke variable from zero to maximum travel reciprocated witbin a cylinder 2 in valvular or like communication 3 with each power cylinder (one oi which is shown at 4. having a valve chest ai' 4^), a combustible mixture and/or air supply pipe 5 also being in valvular or like communication with the cylinder 2. The maximum capacity of the cylinder 2 (termed the pump cylinder) is according to the proportion required to that ot' the power ii'ylindcr (4) and to the cycle of operations.

The pump piston 1 is coupled to a conA necting rod .6. which in turn is coupled to a link 7 that is reciprocated b or through the mai-.i crankshaft.. e. g.. t e link 7 is coupled to the crank 8 turned b the pinion 9 geared at a velocity-ratio o 2:1 to the wheel .l0 rotated by the crank Al1 connected by the rod 12 with the power piston 13. T hc piston 1 is set to reciprocate at any suitable time or speed in relation to that ot' the power piston 13, i. e., when the latter is at half-stroke the piston 1 is commencing its outstroke. In order that the piston 1 may be controlled manually and/or autoifi/.ideas lnal/i'cally by, e. g., al governing devine, the big-end o?I its rod 6, or one end. of the link 7, is arranged with a suitable' slipper 111 s0 as to slide on a curved guide 15, which is mounted or pivoted, eg., eei'itrally :is at 16, or eeeenti'ieally, that it may bei adjusted to vz-:rious iuelinations. The movement oi the Aruidel 15 is in control of orvconneeted with the meeliauism for varying;` the Clearance in the power cylinder. Thus, at one' end', as 17. oif the guide 1'5 is jiivoted a rod 18 Coupled to a Crank 19; on the shaft oitx a toothed wheel 20, which wheel meshes with the wheel mounted ou the end of the shaft 22, the iufior end of' which shaft is provided with a worin 23 engagingff with a wo'rniwlieel 2l. ofthe wormwhe'el 2li is an n 'the sli if eccentric or eaur 25 in Contact with the piston :2d uitl'rijnl the cylinder-crown extension 2i'.

lVhen' the guide 15 is inovedf about its pivot 11G the rod 18 is likewise movedv t0- ;ether with the crank ,19 and consequently the .vheel O and 21 rotate through the spindle Qn', the worm 23 and the wormwheel thereby causingthe tam 25 to raise 0r lower the piston 26 in the cylinder 27.

rin' .ci 1. ,V inis, a ioi in oi the Compression or prei-suie regulator already referred to, increases or reduces the Clearance behind the power piston 13. lull stroke of' the piston 1 is obtained when the guide 15 is moved on the pivot 16 towards the vertical and a gradually deereasii'rgg stroke to no motion when the guide is moved to a horizontal position `in which the linkr 7 will swing" the slipper 14, and Consequently 'the lowerend of the rod (L to and fro, intermediate stroke-lengths being; `obtained at intermediate positions of the guide.

The application' of this invention to the two-stroke cycle is shown with reference to the view, VFig'. 3. o'l a two-cylinder singleael:.in"eniine. it will he seen that 4the feedpump and leompression-Clearance adjustment mechanism is identical with that relating' to the feurstroke eyele'` the rod 6, coupled toa piston rod.l beingl of suitable length to correspond with the radius of the eurve of the guide All the parts numbered y1 vto 27 operate in the manner already described.

The punir; cylinder (i), closed at'both ends for double action and arranged for' its pis-` ton to draw in gaseous charge (or air' therefor) at eaeli downstroke and an air @harige at each. upstrokef, 'is provided with an ir intake per k and an outlet pipe A1 tothe valre chest in the cylinder 4f, each eombustion o vliinler (as /l-.\ being' furnished with an exhaust port The approximate relative bositions ol" tbe pump piston and one el the 'power pistons shown in the dia Vram (Fig. v

The invention applied to an engine of the double piston type is shown with reerence (as 18) are lo the view, Fig. ll, ln lthis form the lunetion oi' compression clearance adjustment is performed, as already mentioned7 by one of the constantly moving pistons in each eembustion eylinder instead of by intermittently movable pistons (as 2o. Figs. 2 and All the parts numbered 1 to 1S) operate as prescribed with reference to Figs. i2 and 3. The upper piston 1^ is eoupled by the pin 21 to the roi. which is coupled bv the pin 23* to the link and lever 25a, The link .ea is coupled to the crank-pin opposite to that oi the rod lil, and the lever L5 is journalled at E26 on a grearwheel, dise or the like 2() mounted suitably on a horizontal shaft to which the crank 1S) is also suitably Connected. fis the pin is shifted downwardly the piston 13A makes its strokes closer 'to the top point of the piston 13; as the pin 26a is shiltel upwardly the strokes ofthe piston 155A are made at distances correspondingly further from the top point oithe piston 13. in this manner the compression Clearance between the two pistons (18y and 13A) is increased or reduced, and, as the rod 18 and Crank 19 are connected to the axle of the piu-t on which is the pin 26a, upward and downward n-iovenient of the point 17 0n the 1: {uide 15 corresponds with the shortening and leiigrtheningY rflispeetively of the, stroke o pistou 13^.

lilith i IQyard to the operation of the tour- 'roker-vele with feed pump admission supntingg; an air chai-g drawn into the ,s may be effected by ne'. 'roi' example, a three-way cock e main intake pipe tothe power cylin- 1 so that the normal gaseous Guarire is thereby eut oft at will and eon'imunieation opi-ined instead with a pure air supply. ln this 'manner the iiower pistons will then induce; plain airy the pump alone 'lfeedingr the power cylinders with combustible mixture.

it is further to be olv-fe ved that various Combinations or modifications are lairlv within the scope oli the present invention. For examine.. relferrinej to Fie'. it v. .il be seen that by eonnedting` both ends oi the pui'np'cylinder with a eombusljible suivaumen to liotb the pump nge bell. e li. lows that. or a :Y main intake 'valve be arranged lo ut ull' :il

`the point 4?. the workiiu; evliiu'ler eau likeuf'ise reel-rive liuo punir) cluiigijes delivered between the said points.

Thel position o'll he pump elvliiuler iu relation to that of the power cylinders is indieafled by the diegranimatie Velan view.) Fig. El', in which the pump cylinder 2 is laterally adjacent to the power cylinders Ll,

llO

Iii)

4, 4, 4. Alternative positions for the pump cylinder' are shown at 2^ and 2B respectively.

Alternatives to the movable piston pressure regulator (as 26, Figs. 2 and 3) are shown b way of example with reference to the Figs. 5 to 7. In Fig. 5 the working cylinder head 4 is provided with a disc or piston p having at r a rack in mesh with a pinion g. As the pinion g is rotated so is the disc p caused to rise or fall in the compression space above the power piston. In Fig. 6, the part p, described with reference to Fig. 5. is replaced by a sleeve or trunk s,

; closed aty its top by the crown sz', having within it the working piston 13, and extending downwardly below the mouth of the working cylinder 4 within which it is telescoped by means of a rack or the like 'r meshing with a pinion g. The sleeve s has a port s2 so as to permit free constant communication between the valve chest 4n and the interior of the cylinder 4. The telescopic motion communicated to the parts pand s (Figs. 5 and 6) is similar to that of the part 26 (Figs. 2 and 3) and in similar manner thereto the axle of the pinion g, (Figs. 5 and 6) is suitably connected by, e. g., the rod 18 and crank 19 (Figs. 2 and 3) to the pin 17 of the guide 15, adjustment of the latter consequently causing variable or varied compression clearance in the working cylinder (4). In Fig. 7 the working cylinder head 4 is arranged with a series of blind or closed-end ports c1, c2, c3 cut oli' by the mushroom valves c, c, c and opened to the compression space progressively by depression of the rod 1 pivoted at or about f.

The valve mechanism of the pump and power cylinders may be' of any suitable known kind and is arranged suitably to permit appropriate admission, cut-oill andexample, if double-acting it may supply supplementary charges to as many as eight four-stroke single-acting power cylinders.

The invention is described and illustrated by way of example only.

)Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In an internal combustion engine, a power cylinder having a piston chamber, a piston adapted to reciprocate therein, a crank shaft connected to said piston, means for supplying an explosive `charge to said cylinder, a pump cylinder arranged adjacent said power cylinder, a piston mounted power cylinder having a combustion cham-- ber, a movable head mounted in said cylinder to permit variation of the size of said combustion chamber, an eccentric connected to said head to control its position, a reciprocating piston mounted in said cylinder, a crank shaft operatively connected thereto, means for supplying an ex losive charge to said cylinder, a pump cylin er arranged adjacent said power cylinder, a piston mounted therein, a connecting rod secured to said piston, a link operatively connected to said crank shaft to be actuated thereby, the other end of said link being connected to said connecting rod, means for guiding the connected ends of said rod and link through a desired path, means for changing said path to val the throw of the. piston in the ump cyllnder, and means controlled there y to actuate said eccentric to vary the position of said movable head.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a power cylinder having a combustion chamber, a piston ada ted to reciprocate in said cylinder, means gir supplying an explosive charge to said cylinder, a pump cylinder arranged adjacent said power cylinder, a piston mounted therein, a connecting rod secured to said piston, a link operatively connected to said crank shaft to be actuated thereby, the end of said link being secured to sa'id connecting rod, a curved guide pivotally mounted adjacent said connectlon, the ends of said connecting rod and link being mounted in said guide to move therein, a link connected to one end of said guide. A

al shaft connected to said link to be revolved by the movement of said link, gearing connected to said shaft, and means controlled by the actuation of said gearing for varying the size of the combustion chamber 1n said ower cylinder.

4. n an internal combustion engine, a power cylinder having a combustion chamber, a movable head mounted in said combastion chamber to permit variation in the size of Said chamber, an eccentric connected to said head to control its position, a piston mounted in said cylinder, a crank shaft operatively connected to said iston, means for supplying an explosive c arge to said llO lli

cylinder a pump cylinder arranged adjacent said power cylinder, a piston mounted tlierein7 a connecting rod secured to said piston, :t link operatively connected to said crank shaft to be actuated thereby, the endg of seid link being connected to said connectiiig rod, a curved guide arranged adjacent the connected ends of said link and said connecting rod, a member arranged in said guide sind secured to said connection, :i

link connected to the other end of said guide, a shart adapted to be rotated by the movement ol said second link, and gearing connecting Said shaft and sai-d eccentric.

EVELYN HUGH OWEN. 

